Don't Forget to Say Hello When You Leave
by Oceanbreeze7
Summary: Rose remembered that New Years Eve in 2005, what would happen...if she wanted to say thanks?


**I always wondered what would happen if Rose went ot find out who that stranger really was.**

**This takes place before Army of Ghosts, not sure what episode is before that...**

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><p><em>Clank!<em> Rose scowled as she heard yet again another glass of some cheap wine her mum had bought- or a friend had brought over to celebrate the New Year with.

"You okay Rose?" The Doctor asked, his brow crinkling with puzzlement as he slipped onto the couch next to her, it dipping slightly under his light weight and tall lanky build. Rose smiled and shook her head, setting down her glass as she had no need for a hangover the next night.

"Bit domestic for you- hanging around a flat with my mum." Rose giggled softly as the wrinkling of the Doctor's nose as he heard this. He sniffled, looking at a woman in a corner who was obviously drunk as she downed what had to be her fifth glass of the intoxicating beverage.

"Oh Rassilon help me, if it wasn't for your strange human persistence at these holidays, we'd be half way across the galaxy." The Doctor sighed, flopping back onto the back of the couch, rocking the frame once more.

Rose smiled then winced slightly as she heard someone snort loudly then hiccup in an obviously drunken state- probably Bev.

"Care for a stroll?" The Doctor offered, and Rose eagerly took his hand, moving towards the door, but nobody cared to stop them, few could even walk straight to try and cut them off at the door.

Rose winced and closed the door rather quickly as she spotted her tipsy mother falling out of her seat onto the floor- just as they had started to break out the shot glasses.

The clocks through a few open windows with other families also waiting for the New Year shone half an hour until midnight, until 2007, the beginning of a new year.

"What is it with you humans and drinking so much?" The Doctor mused, wrinkling his nose as he had made it very clear that he did not want any alcohol, complaining about 'hyper senses' and 'melting his nose'. He stuck with Tea, not the cheap red wine made in some place in Scotland probably long since abandoned.

"It tastes awful, it makes you forget and everything seems funny for a while afterwards. What else do you expect of us humans?" Rose shot back playfully, giving him a gentle nudge as they walked along the sidewalk towards the main streets leading into the city, hearing a few people inside their rooms and a few kids catch snowflakes in their purposely mismatched gloves and hats.

Rose walked, swinging her legs out to walk slower and yet go through all of the motions. Her hands tucked snuggly warm in her pockets as the Doctor walked in all of his Trenchcoat glory next to her, content at moving at such a slow pace.

"Strange isn't it? We travel around so often, you don't really stop to think that Time's changing 'round here too, not just us." Rose smiled, looking up at a few glowing lampposts, The Doctor smiled next to her, knowing just what she meant.

"It always is hard to remember and realize that. That in a few minutes, this will be a whole new year." The Doctor smiled, looking up at the stars, then back at Rose who had on her purple hat and scarf.

"Yeah, I once met this bloke a few years ago- didn't know what year it was." She smiled, giggling slightly, and the Doctor snorted, looking away with an amused look.

"Oi! We have to ask the locals so often you shouldn't be laughing!" Rose toyed back, mock punching him in his left heart.

"Quiet right- the only people who ask about the year are those who are out of their time…stream." The Doctor blinked, comprehension dawning on him quickly as Rose gasped, looking towards an alley, or the one that she could remember the best for where the man once stood.

"Matter of fact- he _did_ seem disorientated, not the drunk way, more like he was confused or something." Rose added, biting her lip in worry. The Doctor's eye brows creased as he looked at the area where Rose was looking.

"Well, Miss Tyler, care for a trip just before the New Year?" The Doctor offered, and Rose gave him a smirk, and the two turned, bolting towards the parked Tardis, not really needing an answer after all.

They had parked it in the usual spot after landing and 'accidently' landing in Jackie's living room. Rose suspected that the slaps the Doctor received were planned by the Tardis as he had been tinkering with her before.

Swinging the door open, the Doctor tossed his Trench coat onto one of the coral spires and raced towards the machine, already pulling and activating the echoing sonar like sound. Rose laughed, smiling at the way his face was filled with glee at the idea of a new adventure, even if it was to help out an old drunk man.

The humming started up, extremely loud and the ground shook, forcing the two to hang on for dear life as the Doctor wacked and pressed a few strange looking buttons that Rose suspected didn't do a thing. After almost half a minute of scrambling around and hanging onto levers and the railing, the Tardis stopped, sending her occupants onto the floor laughing and rolling onto their bellies to get up.

"New Years Eve! 2004, a few minutes before, mind you. Hoping that we can find that strange visitor of yours, Miss Tyler." The Doctor smirked, grabbing his coat from where he deposited it only around three minutes ago, and slipped it on, waiting for Rose to take his waiting hand.

"Won't I run into past me or something?" Rose questioned, worried about the Reapers as she hadn't had a good time with them before.

"Nah! You probably still remember what you did that day, so as long as we stay out of that path then we're okay. Come on, Rose, Alons-y!"

Rose grinned at his slight babble and raced out of the door, noticing at once how the snow was practically identical. Save for a few Christmas trees and different curtains, the area seemed the exact same.

"Right, I think I stayed in the flat- mum went down for the pub for a few hours, she was back around four, but we should be gone by then, right?" Rose asked, and after a reassuring smile they wandered down the street, looking up at the bell tower, then Rose gasped, suddenly slamming the Doctor who let out a surprised yelp into a nearby doorway to a shop. Rose ducked, nearly allowing her past self to spot her as the past Rose hurried in the direction of the flats.

"Okay, we're good now." Rose let out a breath and hurried out, not liking the strange smell of lemon polish on the chairs inside the home appliances store. The Doctor wrinkled his nose, easily detecting the artificial chemicals created to make up the smell.

"It was around the alley- near the main road yeah? Well come on!" Rose shouted, starting to run at a normal pace- fast.

They plowed down the streets; not bothering to worry about slipping on the icy surfaces as they had ran and jumped on occasion, on worse surfaces.

The two rounded a corner; laughing slightly before halting, looking around and Rose frowned, trying to remember where _exactly_ she had been.

"Split up?" The Doctor offered, looking around for any recent signs of life. Rose gave a quick nod and the two parted, Rose going right as the Doctor turned to the left, already vanishing.

Rose pulled her scarf tighter around her, jamming her hands as far into her pockets as she could to avoid the nipping cold her wrists were forced to go through. She scowled as a few snowflakes landed on her unprotected nose and suddenly she wished she had brought another scarf…

She rounded the corner again, easily four blocks away from where she had originally split, and she froze. Looking at Dent Street and the buildings along the side. Mostly though, the creature she would recognize anywhere standing in the middle of the street.

And Ood, perhaps a survivor? No, it seemed to be looking at her differently, they had never met.

"Erm, Hello?" Rose tested, making sure the Ood's eyes were not red or it was suddenly intent on killing her.

_"Hello Rose Tyler."_

Rose blinked, taking a step back in surprise, the Ood translator sphere glowed for a moment before it was set once more on its shoulder. It blinked rather innocently, tilting its head and reminding Rose ever more that it's head resembled the body of a jelly fish.

"_We have expected you." _

Rose wasn't sure what she should do, she looked around, taking a careful eye that there weren't any more Ood's in the alley's, but after a while, she turned back to the Ood, not sure of what it would do.

"How do you know me?" Rose challenged, wincing slightly as her voice grew slightly higher in the end as her fear betrayed her.

_"The moons and the stars have sung to you, can you not hear it?"_ And Rose winced, hearing a deep beautiful song not a million harps could imitate.

It spiraled around her, hauntingly familiar, _no,_ it was familiar! She had written something like this before, well not exactly. The tune, the slight tune. The high and the low notes, she wrote it in a music class of hers, when she had tried to play the flute like so many other girls wanted to at her Elementary School. Of course, her tune was nothing compared to what seemed to be haunting ghostly violins and a strong piano with a vibration built in, who knew, perhaps it was an alien voice!

"I-"

_"You recognize it. For this is your song."_ Rose blinked, rather confused at the Ood, but the beautiful song vanished and something else filled in the gaps.

It was faint, just as haunting as her own, but somehow…sadder. Different songs, overlapping one another, falling in and out. Something strong and yet almost royal, as if proud and powerful, only to fade into what seemed like teardrops falling into water, then agonizing shrieks of a broken string or something else. Then haunting tune continued on, eventually finishing and staying on something majestic, but seemingly sad…like it was almost out of what else to play.

_"This song is ending soon."_ The Ood responded, and Rose reached up to wipe at her eyes as they felt itchy, there was the beginnings of tears, was it the music that somehow nobody else could hear.

"But-"Rose tried to interject, why did it have to end? It was beautiful!

_"This song may end, but the story is not yet finished. Save it, Rose Tyler. Save this song for the stars."_

And the Ood turned, the music vanishing almost completely, and even that faded out of existence as the Ood walked, seemingly into thin air it vanished.

Then Rose heard the cry.

Rose gasped, breaking into a run on impulse and rounding a corner, the exact same spot where she walked before, this was it!

She couldn't help the smile she gained on her face as she saw what she had accomplished, but it slowly fell off as she saw the twitching masked figure. He had not seen her yet, and suddenly, Rose suspected the worse. The man was trembling, and he took a step and the shaking increased, with a muffled gasp, Rose recognized the man at once, as he tried his best to walk across the street- the Tardis was parked right there.

His hands clenched and his jaw gritted shut before he shouted out once more, collapsing and trembles, trying to drag himself across the snow, his legs seemingly not cooperating with him. Rose felt her heart break, as he was ill.

She couldn't help herself, but drop down next to him, slinging one of his hands over her shoulders and heaving, pushing herself upright until the man was being dragged practically by her.

"Rose?" He breathed, eyes glassy with pain, his fists were clenched once more.

"But ho-"

"Come on." Rose responded, cutting off his weak voice as she tried to drag him over,

"Can't." He grunted, trying to help her move him, only struggling weakly, he craned his neck around to look at her dead in the eye, and Rose suddenly knew what he was about to say before he did.

"Dying." He stated briefly, as if that would explain everything; Rose just looked at him as if he were crazy.

"So? I watched you regenerate once, I'll watch you again!" She protested, and the Doctor's eyes filled with confusion. He suddenly understood what was going on, and he let out a weak chuckle, probably remembering what had happened or what _was_ going to happen.

They made it, and Rose struggled inside, gently letting sink to the floor gasping, and he gave a strained smile, Rose frowned as she noticed differences, frown lines and gray hairs, darker eyes and a blue suit-_blue!_

"Mad impossible Rose, finding me here of all places." He chuckled, letting it dye as he gave a rather violent wince.

"Come on, just regenerate, explode and stuff." Rose weakly tried to explain, using her arms as a way to emphasize her point as she mimicked exploding.

"Not that simply, I regenerate, you'll be trapped." He panted; sweat starting to show on his forehead, and then Rose noticed something else. This was an old Doctor, a sad Doctor, and a mourning Doctor.

She wasn't here either.

She swallowed, trying not to think about how the truth seemed to suddenly terrifying, that she had died or something. It seemed the most likely, but then wouldn't he visit her grave or something instead of her past self?

"So?" She asked, confused on why he would care if she was trapped in here. The Doctor apparently found that response amusing and saddening at the same time and let out a chuckle and a sob at once.

"What were you doing here anyways?" Rose suddenly asked, wanting to distract him from the pain he was in, she knew she couldn't wait forever though.

The Doctor looked at her, then looked away, not answering, but replying instead.

"You should leave."

"Probably."

"You'll be trapped here."

"S'not so bad if you're with me."

"It'll kill you."

"No it wo-n't." Rose cut off at the end, seeing the desperate look in his eyes, She swallowed getting up and looking around, biting her lip. He didn't want her here, she shouldn't leave her Doctor waiting.

"Was it bad? My death?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper, The Doctor's eyes flashed open and he immediately tried to get to his feet, grunting in pain.

"No! No no! Nothing like that! Rose, I can _promise_ you that you're fine- you're happy." He threw in, probably trying to reassure her of something.

_'I'm not without you.'_ Her mind whispered, but she didn't dare say it, instead she looked at him, lowering herself to his height sitting.

"So this is goodbye, yeah? You're regeneration? Promise you'll visit?" Rose asked, and the other Doctor's eyes showed a deep pain as he wasn't sure on what to say.

"Rose…I don't think…"

"Yeah, that's okay…just…just don't forget me? Just…when you have chips, think of me sometime. Or when you see a blonde or when you hear a wolf, just…don't forget me, yeah?" Rose offered, her voice breaking as did her heart to think that he even _could_ forget her.

At once his eyes softened and he smiled, ever so gently.

"Rose, I could _never_ forget you." He assured his tone strong and firm, and Rose knew it was time to go.

She hesitated, almost getting to her feet but stopping. If he was to die right now…

The Doctor's eyes widened when he felt Rose kiss him, sure it was sloppy and rather rushed but it was the intention, they broke apart and Rose blushed under his wide surprised stare.

"That's for good luck, yeah? Hope you get ginger?" She responded, and he gave a weak smile, not even trying to move now, he slipped his eyes closed, and she saw the faintest trails of gold traveling down his arm, towards his hands.

She moved, walking towards the door, and as she opened it, she heard him say one last thing- the answer to her very first question.

"The best way to say goodbye, is to say hello. Don't you think so, Rose Tyler?"

And then, the door slipped shut. And Rose took a few steps back, and the haunting sound of the Tardis started up and vanished, leaving a nice spot in the snow which was already filling it in. She sniffled, wiping at the tears overflowing her eyes and she spun, walking and keeping her head low.

"Rose!" She spun, hearing her Doctor come running, a smile on his face suddenly turned baffled as she caught him in a giant hug, sobbing into his chest. He awkwardly set his hand on her back, patting her confused but worried.

"Rose? You okay? What's wrong?" He gently asked, gently walking towards the way in which they had come. Rose tore herself away and looked up at him with bleary eyes and a sniffling nose.

"Promise me you'll always say goodbye, yeah?" She sniffled and the Doctor's eyebrows rose in confusion.

"Rose? It had something to do with that man do it? I should have gone with y-"

"Promise me." She tried again, her tongue feeling thick as she blubbered it out, and the Doctor looked at her, understanding how important this seemed to be to her.

"I promise Rose Tyler, I'll say goodbye." He agreed, not really understanding when he would even need to.

And Rose's mind kept repeating one phrase over and over.

_'The best way to say goodbye, is to say hello.'_

Somewhere in the distance, she heard a clock strike twelve, midnight. And somewhere far away, she heard the faint sound of fireworks and cheers, probably laughter, and sweet innocence.

"Happy 2005, yeah?" The Doctor whispered and Rose nodded furiously, knowing just what would happen this year.

"Yeah, Happy 2005." She agreed, looking out, and in the direction the other Doctor had been in.

_'The best way to say goodbye, is to say hello.'_

_'Don't forget me.'_

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><p><strong>Wow, i myself find that one part from the End of Time one of the best in the serries, how everything raps all together again.<strong>

**To be honest, i want that carved into my gravestone- _'The best way to say goodbye, is to say hello.'_**


End file.
